Hanakotoba no kazukazu
by x Ino Fan x
Summary: Ino had never felt that flowers had meant so much. [[GaaraIno]] Edit: New chapters added, no longer a oneshot
1. Beginnings

Hanakotoba no kazukazu or "The many words/meanings of flowers"

**This is an InoGaara oneshot. I'm attempting strange pairings that won't happen. Yay for me )**

---

Her hand twitched slightly at the door, anticipating. Sure, she had heard stories of the Kazekage, Gaara, but most of them were...how could she put this? Well, they usually ended with death or serious injury—something Ino did not particularly enjoy, that was for sure.

Of course it was a 'mission' as Tsunade-sama put it, but that didn't make Ino any less afraid of what awaited her beyond the door made of stone. Ino remembered the earlier conversation, and her obvious displeasure.

_Ino opened the door, beaming and eyes sparkling like they usually did, to the Hokage's Tower. She tilted her head slightly as Tsunade lifted up a scroll, and flinched, letting it dangle down, revealing mission directions. Tsunade looked very proud of herself._

"Ino. I have a mission for you to the Sand Village." She said with a flourish, and Ino beamed giddily. Her first mission as a Chuunin, and to the Sand Village! What luck she had! Even Sakura hadn't gotten a mission yet. She'd been stuck training with Tsunade for weeks after she became a Chuunin.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama! May I ask what it involves? An ambush? Reconnaissance?" She asked eagerly, ideas churning inside her head. Tsunade grinned remorsefully.

"Well, something like that." She said, waving her hand. Then she took on a serious look. "You are to deliver a boucquet of flowers, of your arrangement, to the new Kazekage as congratulations. Now, be aware, this is a C-ranked mission because of the journey to the sand and the dangers of forest travel, and—"

_  
"Ehhh?!" Ino cried, eyes wide in despair. She banged her fist on Tsunade's desk, her mild temper getting the best of her this time. Her eyes showed deep disrespect for her Hokage. "I became a Chuunin to be a flower delivery girl? Aren't their messanger, ahh," She rambled, racking her brain for the correct title of a mail-ninja, "Courier ninja! Yes!" She said, pointing a finger at Tsunade. Tsunade sighed, putting her hands in the air._

"They charge too much money and take too slow. We want to show the Kazekage we appreciate him, and respect his power. We want allies, don't we, Ino?" Tsunade asked with a raised eyebrow. Ino sighed, then looked at her apologetically.

"Sorry, Tsunade-sama. I was out of line. But you'll need to pay me for the flowers, as well as the mission."Ino stated, looking at the ground. She didn't want this mission. She wanted to train, she wanted to go on dangerous missions with her team. She wanted to do something useful. She'd been spending days at a time in her small flower shop, and it had become rather dreary, especially since business had gone down in the last few weeks. Tsunade smiled at her.

"Don't worry. You leave this morning, in about," Tsunade's gaze lifted to her clock, then lowered, "an hour. Can you finish the arrangement by then?" She asked with a small smile. Ino nodded slightly.

"Hai." She said, and took the scroll from Tsunade. In a heartbeat, she was off and running down the stairs, the door swinging to a close. Tsunade grinned and drank a sip of her sake, then looked dissaprovingly at her paperwork. 

She had not known it would be **him**. She had not known who he was, exactly, until Sakura had told her with a heavy heart of the battle against him, where she was trapped against a tree. Naruto had saved her, and Sasuke-kun had even helped. She sighed. Would her teammates have done the same? Sure, they were good teammates and great friends, but Naruto would do anything for Sakura. He liked her, didn't he? She knew for a fact Shikamaru and Chouji would protect her, but not with the undying love Naruto had for Sakura. Not even close.

Maybe that was when her kindness ticked in, that moment she thought about what Sakura had told her, what she had heard. He had no one, did he? He was said to be alone. He killed to exist. And really, could she blame him?

She opened the door slowly, the flowers clutched in her other hand. Before she had left, she had adopted a new look, bangs flat against her eyes, and a shorter purple top and skirt with netting on her legs. No one had recognized her. That was what she had wanted. Sakura had grinned at her, told her she looked good that way. Ino hoped maybe she would feel better, too.

She looked down at first, turquoise eyes scanning the sandy floor.

Gaara stared up from his work, and blinked a few times. Ino found herself shaking almost. Was he contemplating killing her? Did they make him kazekage out of fear?

"Kazekage-sama..." She said slowly, looking up. She brought the flowers to the front of her. She had used all her skill in making the arrangement. Burgundy flowers half-way closed, to last longer, and yellow, sand-colored ones mixed in with a few greens. "Tsunade-sama...and Konoha...sends their congratulations." Ino said stiffly, settling the vase on his desk.

Gaara continued to blink.

She felt flushed and quickly turned around. "I'llbegoingnowgoodluckwithbusinessand—"

"Did you make these?"

Ino blinked, hearing a voice behind her, and almost shocked, turned around and looked. There was Gaara, sitting silently, staring at her, then back to the flowers. It was her turn to feel utterly wordless.

"Y-yes. I did." She said, still a little stunned. I work at a flower shop, and—"

"You're the girl. From the exams, against the pink-haired one." He said slowly. She blinked and flushed with embarassment and shame. The weakest fight she had done, and he had seen it! The whole world had seen it, it seemed...

"Yes." She said, feeling quite ashamed of her failure to become a Chuunin in that fight. Wait a minute, she was strong! She didn't need to be ashamed. Strong, strong. She was a Chuunin now, wasn't she? But on such an easy mission... "I have to leave now to make it in three days." She said, wondering why she had even said it. She looked up to stare at him for a moment.

He had light, strange green eyes, and tussled red hair. He looked unbelievably tired, although it didn't show much. She wondered how it was, to have a demon inside of you. She suddenly felt so sorry for Naruto. It seemed with every day as a Chuunin she grew a little more mature, inside. Suddenly, he cleared his throat. She blinked, looked away.

"I have a favor to ask...of you." He said in a slow voice. She blinked, resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow. Favor? Of Gaara? What did he have in store for her? She almost cringed at the thought. He went on. "The flower girl down the streets in the market just quit, and the shop is closing. There are hundreds of flowers left, and we can't ship them back to where they were grown without all of them wilting. I have decided to make money of this, instead of having the treasury on my back. But I need a new flower worker. Or more precisely, you."

Ino could swear she felt her brain stop. Wait…what was that? She couldn't even reply. He went on.

"You'll be quartered down the hall from where I am in the Kazekage's tower. You'll be paid, of course, and fed. Just for a week. Tsunade didn't tell you this? It was an agreement…" He said in that slow, precise voice of his. She blinked, then her face flushed. She opened the scroll she had on her kunai belt, and skimmed it swiftly.

_Mission: Deliver flowers to Suna, work at flower shop in Suna_

_Rank: C_

_You will arrive in Suna and make accomodations with the Kazekage. This mission is to return a favor to Suna for saving us in the Sound battles._

Ino blinked, then did the craziest thing.

She laughed.

Horrendously loud, to boot.

Gaara stood slightly stunned, but still remaining calm. It did seem to irritate him a bit, though.

"You were assigned this mission and accepted." He said a little stiffly, pointing to the scroll off-handedly. She sighed, thinking of revenge against Tsunade for being so damn tricky.

"I know, I know." She said, pushing a hand to her face. "I'm sorry…Kazekage-sama." She said carefully, looking up at him with a burning face. Maybe it was Tsunade's plan all along to trick her into embarrassing herself in front of the Kazekage.

Gaara looked at her a little strangely, then looked back to his desk. "I'll escort you to the shop." He said carefully, and walked out. Suddenly Ino noticed how tall he was. Almost taller than Sasuke, even. Not that she cared any more. Sasuke had left, and somehow she had lived. Fancy that.

Yes, the Kazekage was tall, taller than he was as a Genin, that much was for sure. He wore long dark red robes and was putting on a gourd, full of sand as Sakura made sure to tell her. He walked in front of her, leaving the door open. She blinked a few times, before she realized he was waiting for her. She scuttled after him, sand flying up. Gaara kept going, down stairs into the market. People stared at him, whispered, and a few girls even blushed and waved to him. Ino rolled her eyes.

Gaara suddenly stopped at a small shop, and Ino almost gaped. It was a small shop with broken windows and flowers terribly mixed together. She jumped into action. "These go with these—these white flowers aren't the same kind!—no, those can't be in the sun all die!" She cried softly, and ran around switching the flowers. Gaara blinked in slight surprise.

"I trust you can handle this job, then." He said a little quietly. She stopped and turned, turquoise eyes blinking. Her own shop for a week? This wouldn't be so bad…she loved flowers, of course.

"Alright, Kazekage-sama." She said with a small smile his way. He looked at her strangely again, and then muttered something very quietly, causing her to raise her eyebrows.

"Call me Gaara."

---

"Ino-chan, Ino-chan!" Cried a voice. Ino turned, blinking towards the door. It was a small girl of about five. Ino grinned as largely as she could. The girl grinned.

"What can I help you with?" Ino asked kindly, giving her a large grin. It was the last of seven days, and Ino was almost going to miss her own little flower shop. She had made friends, and business was booming there. She even had fixed the shop, and had made it look much more welcoming. The girl pointed at a red rose, a beatiful flower with soft petals.

"What does this one mean, Ino-chan!" She cried, picking it up. Ino walked over, and bent down to look at her.

"It's a flower that means love…is it for one of your friends?" She asked softly. The girl nodded eagerly.

"I have enough, too!" She said gleefully, handing her some coins. Ino wrapped the flower in tissue and handed it to the girl.

"Thank you, come ag—" She was about to say 'come again soon', although she realized it was her last day in Suna. She suddenly felt a wave of sadness fall over her. She had adapted to the warm winds and welcoming sand. It was almost as if it was her new home.

"Ooooh, I almost forgot, Ino-chan!" The girl cried, turning around. "The Kazekage sent for you!" She said with a big grin. "Temari-san said he was working you too hard and that he would have to let you go eventually, but then he said that it—" Ino found herself blushing too red for her good, and waved her hands in the air.

"Okay, okay, thank you!" She said, and the girl skipped out. Was Temari, Gaara's sister, saying that he was going to miss her? That was strange…Ino thought back to the week. She would walk out of her room, and usually cross Gaara's path. He would say he needed a delivery, and she would do it. Today, though, he hadn't come to tell her any deliveries. What was happening? She closed the little shop for the last time, but not before wrapping up all of the flowers that were left. What kind of person would she be if she let them die?

She stepped quickly up to Gaara's office, to see him standing up, looking out across Suna. She blinked and looked down. "Kazekage-sama?" She asked slowly.

"Gaara." He replied in a monotone voice. Ino blinked, then felt herself turn red again. _'Damn, not here! Not in front of him! He'll think I'm an idiot!'_ She thought, trying to cover her blushing face. He sighed softly, so soft that she believed she had imagined it.

"A girl told me you called me here?" She said quietly, feeling her face still burning. He turned around and she cringed.

"You're leaving." He said slowly. She nodded slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment and gave her that strange look again. "Are you sure?" She blinked rapidly at his question. Sure? What? "You can stay. As a liaison from Konoha. Temari is a liaison from Suna in Konoha. You can have the shop—"

"Thank you—Gaara, but I must go home. I have a team, and a shop, friends there…but thank you for everything." She said slowly. She was blinking away tears. He was asking her to stay. Suddenly she stared at the Kanji on his head. Love. Was that what he was feeling? What she was feeling? Suddenly He reached out to her. She blinked at what was in his hand.

A single red rose. She almost gasped. Was he…?

"Every day…you were in the shop smiling. No one smiled like that at me before. Thank you…Ino." He said slowly, ever so softly. She blushed dark, dark red, and leaned forward, kissing him softly. She could swear him yelp. Was it his first kiss? It was most certainly hers, and she suddenly felt glad that it wasn't to Sasuke. Now she could brag to Sakura that she had a first kiss before she did. But that meant she had to go home….

Suddenly Ino pulled a flower out of the ones she had, and handed it to him. An Aster. He blinked, and took it. She grinned, still blushing.

"I'll still be Konoha, and I'll visit, I swear." She said with a grin. Then she hugged him. He blinked hard, very stunned by her actions. "Thank you…Gaara."

And with that, she left.

An Aster.

He stared at it for a while, and finally took out a book of Flower Meanings. He read until he got to Aster.

_Beginnings. _

**A/N: ALRIGHT, that was hard. I'm attempting crack pairings so if you don't like the pairing, don't read. Well, you must've read down to here so…sorry! Anyway, I have a ShikaTema oneshot comin' your way! Thanks guys!**


	2. Homecoming

Hanakotoba no kazukazu or "The many words/meanings of flowers"

Alright, I really like this story. So here's the second part.

---

Ino twiddled her fingers, shaking noticeably. Sakura stared at her with one eyebrow raised in question.

"Ino. What's wrong? Ever since Tsunade had that meeting, all you've been doing is looking anxiously at the clock…and playing with your hands." She said, pulling Ino's hands apart, one eye twitching in annoyance. Ino sighed.

"Sorry, sorry, Sakura! But, it's just—" Ino sighed, shaking her head, not bothering to finish the sentence.

Ever since she had returned from Suna, Ino had refused all the men that had began to hang around her flower shop and try to flirt, had kept her feelings to herself, instead hugging her pillow at night.

And…she wouldn't touch Asters. Her mother always got on her case for not doing the arrangements with Asters in them, but she just made a lame excuse, like she didn't have time to finish them. Her mother shook her head, but seeing the way she looked out the window, then the asters, and turned away, she didn't pester her daughter.

"It's strange Ino, and I just noticed it now, but…you've been acting…sad lately. And it's not just lately, is it! It's been…" Sakura leaned back in her chair outside the Hokage's office and thought for a moment. "3 years…I think. A long time." She said, staring at her friend, concerned. "In fact…it started right after your mission to Suna!" She said, her eyes widening. Ino looked down at her feet. "Ino…Suna. Something in Suna…"

Ino looked away, not wanting to let her friend see the pain in her face. "It's nothing."

"You have a mission to Suna, Ino. It's just to go with Shikamaru to meet the Kazekage. Tsunade-sama said it was important that _you_ of anyone went…although, I really don't see why someone else couldn't go in your place if you can't…"

"No!" Ino cried, turning to her friend, eyes wide. Sakura blinked. Ino's frantic desperation slowly disappeared. "It's…fine. If I was requested, then I can't back out of it, right?" She said nervously with a small smile. Sakura frowned.

"Ino…please tell me. I'll probably be gone when you get back anyway…A lot of us are going on a mission…Naruto…" Sakura trailed off, looking down at her own feet. Ino knew this would be another mission with Sasuke in the core of it.

"Sakura…if I go to Suna…I may never come back."

---

"Ino, what's bothering you? Usually on this type of easy mission, you'd be talking nonstop. Or…I don't know, going on about your latest diet? New clothes?" Shikamaru tried, raising an eyebrow at Ino, who was meeting his pace and being surprisingly reasonable. "In fact…I may not have really realized this until now, but you haven't dieted or bought new clothes in….3 years." He said, raising an eyebrow at her. "Actually, you've refused every guy that gets _near_ you." He blinked at her, eyes wide. She just glared down at the road.

"You're in love, Ino." Shikamaru sighed, looking up at the night sky. "Listen, if it's me…I really have feelings for Temari, scary as she is...I'm really sorry, Ino." He said, looking at her sympathetically. Ino's head jolted up to look at him, a horrified and furious expression on her face.

"Shika-_kun_, DON'T FLATTER YOURSELF." She said, narrowing her eyes in fury, her eyes fiery. Shikamaru blinked, eyes slightly wider than before.

"Sheesh, troublesome woman! I was just making sure..!" He said, turning away, his face burning. _'Huh! So those guys were wrong after all. Definitely not me. Phew.'_ He thought, with a small shudder. Then he turned back to her.

"It's Sasuke, still, isn't it." He said slowly, rolling his eyes. Ino shook her head. 

"Of course not." She said. "I haven't even thought about him since he left Konoha." She muttered.

"You stand by the Konoha gates every afternoon at exactly 4:57 PM. Right after you leave the memorial to see Asuma." He said frankly. Ino's eyes turned pained.

"Look, Shikamaru, all I'm going to say is it is NOT you, and it's NOT Sasuke. Maybe I don't want to talk about it." _'Especially seeing as I haven't spoken to him in 3 years.'_ Ino thought sadly. 

"Look, you can tell me." Shikamaru said, looking over at her. "I'm your best friend, remember? I mean, besides Sakura." He said, rolling his eyes. Girls. She bit her lip and looked at him.

"I…"

---

Gaara paced his office, and Temari sighed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Look, it's just a meeting! Why are you acting so anxious? It's just two Konoha ninja…I even know who they are! Yamanaka Ino, and of course, Shikamaru." She said, with a smirk.

Gaara paused. "That's just it." He muttered carefully. "Yamanaka." He said slowly. Temari raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to one side.

"The blonde? How do you know her? Did she do something to you?!" She asked, her voice rising, hand clenching on her fan.

"Temari…don't be an idiot." He said in a flat tone. She narrowed her eyes but said no more.

"Tell me how you know her, Gaara." She said, sitting down, crossing her legs and leaning back in a chair in front of his desk.

"3 years ago. Flower shop." He said curtly, looking outside his window, a wind picking up, dragging the sand from the building up in the air. He watched it swiftly dance across the sky. Temari blinked.

"Ohhhh…was that the girl…" Suddenly Temari understood. Gaara had asked about her every time Shikamaru came, to which Shikamaru would reply 'As troublesome as ever.', never really understanding why he asked, to which Gaara would nod solemnly. Then she gave a look which Gaara could only categorize as plotting. "YOU LOVE HER!!! OH, IT'S GREAT! GAARA OF THE SAND, KAZEKAGE, AND OUT OF ALL THE FANGIRLS IN SUNA, FALLS IN LOVE WITH A GIRL FROM KONOHAGAKURE!" Temari cried with hysterics. "This is wonderful. REALLY! I can't wait to see Shikamau's face—"

Gaara gave her a look which one could only categorize as DEATH AURA. "Temari…I will deal with this on my own. For all I know…she has someone in her life." He said coldly. Temari blinked, pain seeping into her eyes, seeing him look outside, not the first time she had seen longing in his eyes. _'The first time he understands what love is…and he may have it taken away from him. So much has happened to him…'_ Temari thought sadly, thinking of being killed by the Akatsuki and being brought back to life again at the cost of their village elder Chiyo's life. Suddenly, a knock at the door came.

"Come in…" Temari said, furrowing her eyebrows. _'They weren't supposed to make it so quickly…'_ She thought, wondering if it was really them.

"Oi, we've arrived early." Said Shikamaru, giving a crooked grin. Ino was looking at the ground, and Temari noticed she looked nervous. Gaara turned, and looked at them with a solemn face, holding all emotion inside. Temari beamed at Shikamaru.

"Didn't expect a lazyass like you to make it so fast!" Temari teased him, and hugged him quickly. Ino looked up, meeting Gaara's eyes, and then, realizing her mistake, looked down again.

"Well, I gotta go talk to Shikamaru really quickly…you two…discuss the mission!" Temari said, dragging a very confused Shikamaru out the door with an eager smile. She winked at Gaara slyly, who gave her a look that read 'I'm going to kill you later' all over it.

The door slammed and both winced at the noise. No one said anything for a while. "So…Ino. How is Konoha." Gaara said awkwardly. She blinked, and met his eyes.

"Ah…good." She said slowly. _'Lonely, without you. Sad. Painful.'_ She wanted to add, but held her tongue. "How are you?"

"Fine." He answered curtly, meeting her eyes. _'What am I feeling? That thing…in my chest…so long ago. What is it?!'_

"I…wanted to say something." Ino said slowly. He looked at her quizzically. She closed her eyes, and went on. "Ever since I left…I really missed you. And I know you probably have moved on, and maybe I was nothing in the first place," She added, laughing nervously, "but I feel like you're important to me. Not like my stupid crushes, like Sasuke. Like…someone I really care about. I guess I've just never really felt real love before." She finished, moving her head to the ground again. Gaara blinked, eyes slightly wider than before.

"I…"

"You don't have to answer." She said, her face burning, tears forming in her eyes. "It's okay. I just wanted to get it off my chest." She said, and ran out the door, leaving Gaara confused.

---

Ino sat on the roof of the Kazekage's tower where she and Shikamaru were staying in guest rooms, and stared out into the dark sky. _'He must have defended Suna in these skies. So amazing…he's so amazing.'_ She thought, sighing. _'Too amazing for a person like me. Me and my weakness in the Chuunin exams the first time, my diets, my stupid crushes.'_

"Ino…" Came a soft voice. Ino turned around wildly, only to see Gaara standing a few feet behind her. She blinked.

"I'm sorry about earlier. But I'll leave again and we can both just stay professional." She said firmly, her heart aching. She went to get up, but in a second, he was sitting next to her, holding her arm down.

"No, listen." He said slowly. He face turned pink. "I…care. About you. Last time…Asters. Beginnings. We can pick it up from the beginning." He said carefully, closing his eyes. She looked at him, flushed.

"But…"

"Don't." He said, looking at her, with what she thought to be a small smile on his face, though she had never seen one on him before. "Love…I know what it is now." He said, and turned his face towards hers in a kiss.

---

"Told you!" Temari said, nudging Shikamaru, watching from a few buildings away. Shikamaru widened his eyes.

"Wow, who would've thought? Ino and Gaara. It's so unlikely." He said, shaking his head. "I wouldn't have figured that out in a million years." He said with a grin.

"It's so wonderful though." Temari sighed. "They're _perfect_." She said, smiling for her younger brother.

"So what's going to happen?" Shikamaru asked, putting his arm around her waist. "With them…and us?" He said, raising an eyebrow. She blushed, as much as she would before she refused to turn _too_ girly.

"I suggest that I return to Konoha as a liaison again. And Ino stay here, with Gaara, as a true bridge between our villages." Temari said proudly. Shikamaru smiled.

"That's a good plan if I've ever heard one. Ever since Asuma-sensei died, Ino hadn't had much to do with missions and such. She'll be glad to be put to work here as long as she can visit Konoha once in a while." Shikamaru said, nodding thoughtfully.

"It all works out, doesn't it?" Temari sighed, resting her head against his shoulder as they watched Ino put her head on Gaara's shoulder also.

"Yeah, it does." Shikamaru said, smiling as their futures unfolded.

---

That's the end of this part. 

I MAY make a third part…meh. Comment! Tell me what YOU want! P

Thanks for reading!


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